Choices Made
by LilyGhost
Summary: A short one shot about how the same four words, said by two different men, can inspire two completely different reactions.
1. Chapter 1

**While this isn't exactly a challenge story, Lulubelle09's "I need a favor" challenge did get me thinking, and this one-shot is what came out of it. My writing has been straying a little more towards sappy than romantic lately, so I apologize in advance for any cavities that may be caused by this story and what I post in the next two weeks. All characters belong to Janet. Any mistakes are mine.**

I was still standing in the middle of my kitchen in a mild state of shock when Ranger let himself into my apartment yet again.

"_Fuck_," is the only thing my brain could think, and my mouth could say, at the time. Luckily, I finally managed to close my mouth seconds before Ranger's arrival. Joe had been talking about our future again, but I hadn't expected this. I really should have, though. It was just like Joe to make a statement without saying a friggin' thing.

Ranger zeroed in on me as soon as he was sure the door was closed and relocked behind him, and I suddenly felt more trapped than I had when I'd walked into my apartment five minutes ago. I saw Ranger's eyes drop to what I was holding in my hand, and then return to my freaked out blue ones again.

"Babe," he said, crossing the room to me, taking the Hallmark-style card out of my hand, and reading out loud what Joe had written inside it. "_Will you marry me_?"

Yep, the nausea is still there, except I think it might have actually gotten worse in the last minute and a half. What the fuck am I supposed to do now? If I say _no _to Joe this time, we'll be over for good. Morelli made it clear that marriage is what he wanted. He'd reached his limit, and he wasn't going to wait around for me anymore. The gauntlet had been thrown down, and it was up to me to decide to pick it or bury it for good and not look back. If I said_ yes_, I'd be stuck with a man who'd give me an ultimatum like that in the first place. Not only that, I'd be agreeing to start a family with Joe, which would include a dog, eventual kids, and a husband who'd be working more hours than he'd be home. Joe would be spending more time with the underbelly of Trenton, than with the family he says he wants even though he wouldn't be around to enjoy it. In my head I know what I have to do, but my heart and my conscience were having a little trouble with it.

"Is there something you need to tell me?" Ranger asked.

I inwardly flinched at the distance he suddenly put between us.

Truth is, that's what had made the decision for me. I could live with just being friends with Joe, but I knew the second I committed fully to Morelli, Ranger would disappear - maybe never to be seen again - and I need Ranger in ways I never needed Joe. I think some part of me has always known that, and that's why I played along with Ranger's games and even did some flirting and teasing of my own. I _wanted_ to keep Ranger interested enough in me to stick around, but not completely give up Joe in case Ranger didn't. I've been fucking up all our lives, but those four words Morelli left me just simplified my life, even as it complicated the hell out of another area of it.

"Babe?" Ranger said, his patience with waiting, and probably with me, at an end.

"No. I don't need to tell you anything," I told Ranger, "but Joe is going to want an answer. And he's not going to be happy with the one I have to give him."

Ranger is impossible to read on a very good day and this definitely isn't shaping up to be one, but I did catch the odd look in Ranger's eyes before he let his blank expression take center stage again.

"You're going to tell Morelli no?" Ranger asked, his voice even.

I blew out a sigh. I couldn't be expressionless or emotionless about any of this. I'm going to have to hurt the man who claimed to have loved me, or at least _wanted_ me, since the time I lost my virginity to him in the bakery. Joe had been an ass on and off every time I saw him after that, but I do believe he loves me - as Ranger is fond of saying - in his own way. And I felt the same about him. Joe has been a jerk, my boyfriend, and now he's going to be the guy I refused to marry. Joe will be pissed, the Burg will be outraged, and my mother will have a fit. But none of that is what really concerned me. It's Ranger's reaction to the inevitable breakup that had my stomach twisting itself up into knots.

"Yes," I said finally, remembering that Ranger had asked me a question.

"Yes,_ what_?"

"Yes, I'm going to tell Morelli that there is no way I can marry him. Not now," I said, really thinking about day-to-day life married to Joe, "make that, not_ ever_."

Ranger pinned me to the counter with his stare alone. Damn. He'll have me confessing everything if he kept that up. It didn't occur to me that maybe that had been the idea.

"_Why_, Stephanie?"

"Why_ what_?"

I was trying to buy myself some time, because how can I tell Ranger that I'm turning down Joe because I couldn't love him enough, that I'm in love with a man who isn't Joe Morelli? Ranger would know how I really feel about him after that. And then Ranger will no doubt smirk at me, just hearing that I'd pick _him_ over what Joe and I had. He'd then mostly likely spend the night making me feel good and also feel that I'd made the right decision, and then he'll go back to Rangeman tomorrow and we'll resume our on and off again sex-fest. The problem with that is I don't think I can go back to that either. I may deny my feelings any chance I get, but they are all still there hiding under multiple layers of doubt, worry, and guilt. Even though it made absolutely no sense, I really wanted Ranger to have been the guy proposing to me. I still would have freaked out a little, but I'm pretty sure after I thought about it, and had a glass or two of wine, my answer would be a different one than I plan on giving Joe.

"Why can't you marry Morelli, Steph?" Ranger asked me, prying open the wound and pushing sharp objects into it.

"Does it matter?" I countered. "If our track record is anything to go by, if I'm not engaged, we can still make out in the alley and have sex without any strings until one of us gets tired of it. So you should be happy right now, not being a jerk about this."

Ranger's lips twitched, but he didn't let me off the hook.

"I _am_ happy that you're not going to marry Morelli," Ranger said, using his _body_ to trap me against the counter this time. "And for future reference, I will _never_ get tired of you, Stephanie."

This isn't good. As soon as Ranger gets within touching distance, I manage to convince myself that I'm happy with what we have. And I am. _A little_. I don't need a ring, or Ranger repeating a vow promising to love me forever. Right now, I just need to hear that he loves me and wants to only be with_ me_. No conditions. No timetables. And no one else for either of us. I thought we could both handle that at least. Now I'm not so sure. Ranger isn't saying much one way or another. And his last statement is just one in a long string of lines that I could interpret fifty different ways.

"While that's nice to hear," I said to Ranger, making some contact of my own by cupping Ranger's face in my hands so he had to look at me, "I want to know exactly what you mean by it. Are you saying that my amusement factor will never go away? Or that you'll never get tired of having me throw myself at you every time you so much as smile at me? Or did you mean that you love me, and don't want to see me with another man, taking his name and becoming_ his _wife?"

I felt a muscle in Ranger's jaw clench tight under my palm. _Shit_. I finally let everything out that I've been holding in, and it could have just cost me the one person I'm afraid I can't live without. Fuck. Fuck. _Fuck! _I let my hands drop from his face while I tried to decide whether to stick to my guns just to see what Ranger would say, or back down and tell him that I don't want to lose what we do have, whatever the hell that is.

I swallowed hard before opening my mouth, only to snap it shut again. I had no idea what to do, but Ranger apparently had a few ideas. He threaded his fingers through my hair, not letting me move away from him. Which just proves how well Ranger knows me. He had picked up on my annoying habit of bringing up something important to me only to run before I had to really discuss it.

Since I couldn't go anywhere without my head, and I still wasn't sure what Ranger would say to me, I tried to distract myself by dropping my eyes to the collar of his Rangeman T-shirt, counting the stitches I saw there until he finally said my name.

"Stephanie, look at me," Ranger said, tightening his hands in my hair to get my attention.

I tried to breathe as I lifted my eyes again. I swear I felt the earth shake when they collided with his dark ones. Why did Ranger have to freakin' look like that? All sexy and in control, while my skin is probably freakishly pale and my hair felt like it was three inches wider thanks to me repeatedly tugging at it in frustration before Ranger got here. And now with both of Ranger's hands clutching my curls like a lifeline, it had to look even worse. The only bride I'd be is Frankenstein's.

"My answer is yes to all three questions," Ranger said. "I will always find you amusing, but not in the way you think. I love the fact that you can find humor in any situation, no matter how serious. I didn't realize until you came into my life just how much I needed that."

"Ranger ..."

"No, Steph, let me finish. There will never come a time that I don't enjoy the affect I have on you ..."

"Oh, you definitely have enjoyed_ that_," I couldn't stop myself from saying, thinking about the time Ranger showed up at my apartment to collect on the deal, or during the stupid 'vordo' thing.

"You're misunderstanding me again, Babe," Ranger said. "The fact that we are so drawn to each other even though we shouldn't be says a lot."

"Not really," I told him. "That just says that you're extremely hot and I'm easy."

"Some may say that Morelli qualifies as _'hot'_, too. So why aren't you with him right now celebrating your engagement?"

My eyes burned thinking of what would happen if I did say yes to Joe. I would have to give up Ranger for good. That sounded like a fate worse than death at this point. Being completely in love with someone fucking sucks. It's scary. It isn't simple. And it doesn't come with any guarantees.

"Because he isn't _you_," I admitted to Ranger, as a tear slid down my face.

Crap. I hate crying. Especially in front of this man.

Ranger wiped my tear away before speaking again.

"As for the third question," he continued, pretending that I wasn't making a fool out of myself here, "I _do_ love you. In my mind, you've been _mine_ for a long time. And I've been an asshole for not telling you this sooner. The only man you will ever be married to is _me_, Stephanie."

My eyes widened, taking in every bit of his cocky grin.

"I must be hearing things," I said to Ranger, "because that sounded an awful lot like a proposal. If you didn't do relationships, you sure as heck don't do marriage. _Condom_, yes. _Ring, _no. I got that loud and clear."

Ranger lowered his head and teased my lips with his so I couldn't say anything else. Being in shock again is the only logical reason I could come up with for why I let him distract me at all.

Ranger lifted his head and looked down at me. "Babe, will you marry _me_?"

"Are you serious?" I asked. "We've barely even gone out on a date, and you're proposing twenty minutes after Joe?"

"I never second guess myself, Stephanie. Or wait for the ideal moment to get something done. You should know that by now."

I did know that. Ranger had gone from mentor to pursuer in the time it took to get rid of Joyce with one arrogant statement. Unfortunately for my relationship with Joe, Ranger had been telling Joyce the truth. He_ did _ruin me for anyone else ... including Joe. The Man of Mystery can also be the man I want to smack just for being right all the freakin' time.

"When I found out that Morelli was shopping around for an engagement ring," Ranger said to me, "I had one of those now or never moments. At first, I told myself to take a step back and let you decide who was right for you before I did anything to change your mind. And I stayed away as long as I could because I did think that Joe was the better man for you, but I realized today that I don't believe that anymore._ I'm _the better man ... period, and the _only_ man for you. We should be together, Steph, not you and Joe."

I needed a minute to process Batman proposing to me, so I went with the least important question I could think up for him to answer.

"How did you know Joe was going to propose?" I asked Ranger.

"The store he went to is also a Rangeman client. Hal noticed that Morelli had been there and decided that I needed to know. Morelli was either having an off day and didn't notice the 'Protected by Rangeman' decal on the door, or he wanted to prove that I had lost my chance with you," Ranger said, smirking just like I knew he would. "Joe always did underestimate me. But I need to hear it from you, Babe. Do you think the two of us belong together? Or do agree with Morelli?"

"You're asking me to choose between you and Joe?"

"Yes. Have I lost my chance with you, Babe?"

"No, you haven't," I said after a beat, kissing the lips that I fantasize about daily. "I think Joe underestimated_ us_. And yes, I will marry you. Tomorrow if you want."

Ranger lowered his head and slanted his mouth over mine. I was breathing heavy when he eventually pulled back. Ranger moved his hand off my ass and took a small box out of his jacket pocket.

"Promise me something, Babe," Ranger said, sliding a two carat diamond onto my finger.

"What? That I'll love you forever? No problem," I said.

I thought back to what I'd said to myself after Ranger showed up, that I didn't need a ring and a promise of forever. Now I have _both_.

"That wasn't it, but now that you said it, I want that, too," Ranger told me, bringing my fingers up to his lips. "I was going to have you promise to let me be the one to tell Morelli about this."

Ranger quickly wrapped his arms around me, and kissed me again, to stop the punch and the half-hearted protest he knew would be coming. When he let me go to swing me up into his arms as he headed to my bedroom, Ranger knew he had me. I would promise him that and much, much more from this day on through the rest of our lives.


	2. Promises Kept

**This chapter is proof that I read and also take into account every review I receive. While I'd already begun thinking about a possible Ranger/Joe conversation, I don't think I would have gotten this out as quickly without you all suggesting I should. I'm leaving this marked as complete for now, but if I think up a third chapter to show the repercussions from this one, I will come back and add it. Everything familiar belongs to Janet. The mistakes are mine.**

**Chapter 2**

I was happily enjoying the feel of Ranger's mouth moving slowly across my breast as his fingertips started traveling down my stomach again, when I heard my front door open and then catch on the chain.

Ranger's lips released my nipple and he rolled off me to grab his gun off the nightstand.

"_Steph?!" _I heard Morelli shout through the opening.

"Oh crap!" I said, meeting Ranger's eyes. "Joe's here."

"Guess he came looking for an answer," Ranger told me, pulling on his cargos and stepping into his boots, "instead of waiting for one."

"_Stephanie! Open the door! I already know Manoso's here!_"

"Double crap," I said, closing my eyes.

I opened them just in time to see Ranger reach for the knob on my bedroom door.

"Ranger, no."

"He's not going away, Steph, unless you give him a reason to."

I dragged the sheet with me as I scooted to the edge of the bed to grab my robe.

"I'll get rid of him," I told Ranger, sticking my arms through the sleeves and tying the belt, almost cutting off my circulation in the process.

"No, Steph. I want you to let me take care of this. Whatever happens, don't get involved. This has been a long time coming."

"Ranger ... wait," I told him.

"_Stephanie_!" Joe yelled.

Morelli was testing the strength of the chain as Ranger opened my bedroom door.

"_You can't go out there like that!_" I whisper-shrieked at Ranger.

"Why not?" Ranger said, already moving into the hallway.

I took that to mean that Ranger hadn't been asking a real question. I walked to the doorway and said a silent prayer that Joe would keep his temper in check. Ranger is a lot less tolerant of name calling than I am. Joe can call Ranger whatever he wanted to without him doing more than grinning at Joe, but they both know that my name thrown into any discussion between them has the same effect as dynamite.

I leaned my head against the partially open door, but I didn't have to worry about not hearing Joe. As soon as he saw a shirtless Ranger, Joe's jealousy and anger kicked in.

"What the fuck were you two doing?" I heard Joe say.

"I'd answer that, Morelli, but I don't kiss and tell."

"Oh fuck," I said to the door.

I really should go out there, but I did promise Ranger that I'd stay out of the line of fire, and I figured as long as they don't come to blows the two of them could handle this. I did pull on some clothes just in case and then hurry back to my bedroom door.

"You son of a bitch," Joe said to Ranger. "Things are finally going good for us, and you show up yet again to fuck it all up."

"What you mean is that you thought you'd throw a tantrum and use a three dollar card as a Band-Aid to fix your relationship, stupidly thinking that you could bully Stephanie into ruining her life in order to soothe your ego."

"Go to hell, Manoso. Where's Stephanie?"

"In the other room," Ranger said, stating it clearly for both _me_ and Joe. "I didn't want her near you when you heard the news."

"What news? That you're an asshole? I already figured that one out," Joe said, in the tone I know all too well from the times Ranger's name has come up.

I had a familiar reaction, too. I could feel my eyes narrow and my nostrils flare. What makes Joe think he's so much better than Ranger anyway?

"You may want to pop a few antacids now, Morelli," Ranger said to Joe, "because you're going to need them."

I could almost hear Joe's teeth snap together. I was debating whether to stay where I was and let Ranger face Joe alone like he wanted, or drag my ass out there and take this like a man, when Morelli spoke again. Staying in here it is.

"Who the fuck are you hiding from this time?" Joe asked him. "Didn't the two of you learn anything from that Scrog freak? And you can bet your ass that this time I'm not putting up with the rumors that will come from you sharing a living space with my fiancé. You need to pack up your crap and find another woman to hide behind."

"Oh shit," I whispered into my hand, which at the moment was clutching the molding like a lifeline.

I was worrying for nothing, though, because Ranger was apparently having a little fun with Joe. Shit again. If Ranger felt like playing with you, you're pretty much at his mercy until he's through._ If _Ranger felt like showing you any mercy that is.

"I'm not going anywhere, Morelli," Ranger said. "You'd better get used to that."

I could picture Ranger crossing his arms over his chest, making his biceps pop out while leaving an unobstructed view of his abs and all the tempting skin above his waistband to drool over. Focus, Stephanie! I told myself. You can't lust after your fiancé while your sort of ex-boyfriend is currently standing with him in your kitchen. Or can you? Ranger _is_ frickin' hot.

"Tell me something," I heard Joe say, "you have a secure building, are surrounded by illegally armed hotheads, and yet you come running to Stephanie whenever you need something. Why?"

"Why do you think?" Ranger asked him.

_I_ knew why, but Joe would automatically jump to the worst possible conclusion. Although it doesn't happen very often, I was completely right this time.

"Because you want in her pants," Joe said. "Why else?"

My hand tightened on the knob as I made a move to pull open the door and storm out. Joe is going to pay for that.

"Stay where you are, Steph," Ranger said to me.

Damn his bat hearing.

"What the fuck is going on?" Joe asked. "Why is Stephanie hiding? What the hell have you involved her in now?"

"For a relatively smart cop, you sure make a stupid boyfriend," Ranger told him. "Which worked well for me in the end. You never figured out that there's more to a woman than just a warm body to cook you dinner and occupy your bed. Stephanie has been the key to many cracked Rangeman cases, but you could never see past her body to the brain that works faster than yours."

"And _you_ have a huge blind spot where Stephanie is concerned," Joe said to Ranger, "and it's almost gotten her killed, or put in jail, more times now than I can count."

"Seems like Joe has suddenly forgotten how many times I was almost killed because of information _he_ refused to share with me," I said out loud to the door. "Not to mention the time Joe had me believing I was going to be locked up for Dickie's murder. Jerk."

"Give Stephanie some credit, Morelli," Ranger told him. "The only reason Steph has been targeted is because she'd figured out something that no one else had, which includes your entire police force."

"Does Stephanie have you living in denial land now, too?"

"No. You seem to be the one not in touch with reality. What the hell kind of man proposes to a woman by tossing a life-changing question on the counter like it was an afterthought?"

"I don't have to explain anything to you," Joe said.

"You're right, you don't. But from now on whatever you do regarding Stephanie_ is _my business, and you will be answering to me if you do _anything_ to hurt or upset her."

"Hell will freeze over four times before I answer to you for anything. _Stephanie, get the hell out here!_" I heard Joe shout, along with half my building probably.

I also heard Ranger's voice change from conversational to threatening.

"You don't get to order Stephanie around, Morelli. If you don't start using a few manners around her, I will be forced to beat some into you."

"You don't scare me, Manoso," Joe said to him.

I knew Joe wasn't being completely honest. It would give anyone pause if there's a guy who - for all intents and purposes - can make you nothing more than a memory any time he chooses with no chance of ever being questioned in the disappearance. While Joe _is_ a popular cop, Ranger has shown that he is pretty much untouchable, especially by the TPD.

"And don't give me that shit about bossing her around," Joe started again. "Isn't that exactly what you just did - _ordering_ Stephanie to stay in her bedroom while you're out here doing her dirty work?"

"I _asked_ Stephanie to let me handle this," Ranger said, surprising me with his patience. I would've been close to screaming at this point. "_Mostly_ asked, anyway, but only because I knew I wouldn't be able to stop myself from severely hurting you if you said something out of line to her."

"And I respect Ranger enough to consider his request," I said, as I joined the two of them. "Which is something I don't think _you'd_ understand, Joe. If you respected me even a little, you wouldn't have left me a card while I was out, demanding that I hand my life over to you."

"I asked you to marry me, Cupcake. I didn't _demand_ anything."

"Not this time, but you basically told me the last time we talked that if I didn't say yes to you when you asked again, I could consider myself dumped like yesterday's trash."

"You're overreacting, Steph," Joe said.

Yep, Ranger has _waaay _more patience than I do.

While I was busy inside my own head, Joe had been going over my appearance like I was a victim at a crime scene. Crap. My hair is probably a wreck, and my lips are most likely swollen since Ranger seemed to really enjoy kissing me ... among other things. Joe's eyes swung back to Ranger's bare chest, and I knew the infamous Morelli temper was just about to join the conversation.

"Before you open your mouth, Joe," Ranger told him, his voice chilling, "think real hard about how it will feel after my fist splits it open."

And the lips that had been giving me endless amounts of pleasure half an hour ago, were now issuing threats that caused goosebumps to form along my body for less enjoyable reasons.

"You slept with the psycho to get back at me, didn't you?" Joe said, only partially listening to Ranger's threat. "You thought you'd have a little revenge sex, is that it?" His eyes darkened dangerously. "Or did you think you could get in a quickie before marrying me, hoping I wouldn't find out about it?"

Joe saw Ranger's fist coming towards his jaw, but he didn't even try to block it. And that made me feel even worse. I don't want Joe hurting in _any_ way, I just didn't want to marry him. Ranger showing up here, and what took place after, wasn't part of my original let Joe down easy plan.

"First thing, Morelli," Ranger began, his tone was unchanged even after hitting Joe, "_nothing _I do can be adequately described as a _quickie_."

I'd second that if I didn't think it would push Joe completely over the edge.

"Second, if you say something like that again," Ranger told him quietly, "I will knock every single one of your teeth out. You claim to love Stephanie, prove it by not insulting her."

"I never slept with Ranger while we were technically together, Joe," I said to him.

"But you_ have _slept with him," Joe said, not bothering to form it into a question.

As much as he was pissing me off right now, I hadn't done this as any type of revenge. But Joe just couldn't, or _wouldn't,_ see that.

"Did you sleep with him _today_?" Joe asked, looking over my hastily thrown on clothes.

What could I say? I don't want to deny what Ranger and I have, but to say that Joe had interrupted our third round of lovemaking would be really cruel.

"That's what I thought," Joe said, once again not waiting for an answer. "I knew it was unrealistic, but I had hoped he hadn't gotten that far."

"Jesus, Joe. I'm not some child Ranger abused."

"Sometimes ... you could have fooled me," he said.

Ranger caught my hand before I could make contact with whatever part of Joe's body was closest.

"No, Babe. I don't want him causing trouble for you."

"Let him try," I said, glaring my hardest at Joe.

Ranger's eyes hadn't left Joe, and the animosity he felt towards Joe at that moment was palpable.

"Does the creator of the 'Choo-Choo' game really want to open up a discussion about child abuse?" Ranger asked him, his voice almost as cold as his eyes.

Shit, this is the Ranger only the residents of Stark Street encounter, and Joe will be seeing the difference in Ranger firsthand if I didn't get him out of here.

"I think it's time you leave, Joe," I told Morelli.

"I'm not leaving until I'm good and ready," Joe said.

"Joe, you knew I was going to say no," I told him, trying real hard to be a grown up again. "You_ had _to have known that."

"Apparently I didn't," Morelli said, "because I came over here hoping to celebrate tonight."

"We started celebrating without you," Ranger told him.

"Ranger, don't provoke him."

"Why?" Ranger asked me.

Joe ignored Ranger and stared hard at me.

"What the fuck is he talking about?" Joe asked.

"What do mean?" I said to Joe.

"Cut the shit, Stephanie," Joe said. "Why is he talking about celebrating?"

"Steph, it will be kinder to just say it," Ranger said to me, making sure his body was between mine and Joe's.

"Say what?" Morelli asked, noting Ranger's protective stance. "What the fuck is going on between you two?"

It was time to end this triangle once and for all.

"Ranger asked me to marry him," I told Joe, "and I said yes."

We all fell silent while Morelli digested that. I didn't realize until now that I'd been keeping my left hand out of Joe's sight. His eyes settled on the ring Ranger had given me and I could actually hear the deep breaths Joe was taking. He was either that upset, or that angry, and it was clearly affecting his breathing.

"I've been asking you to marry me on and off for _years_," Joe said between clenched teeth, "and you've repeatedly said no, but _he_ waltzes in here to get one over on me - because he _knew_ I was going to propose - and you say _yes_? And then jump into bed with him five minutes later without bothering to break up with me first?"

"It wasn't like that," I said to him, even though it was.

"What was it like then?" Joe asked sarcastically.

"I realized that what Ranger and I have is what I need," I said. "Joe, you and I haven't worked since we started seeing each other. We definitely wouldn't have made it to an altar at any point in time."

"If _he_ would have kept his nose as well as his dick out of our relationship," Joe told me, making me sorry that I hadn't mentioned what we'd been doing before he got here ... _in detail_, "we would've had a real shot. Come on, Steph, use your head here. The only reason he's doing this is because he knew he was about to lose to me. And you're eating up all the crap he's feeding you, just like every other time Manoso here decides to have a little fun messing with your head. I'll bet my badge, my house, even my dog, that now that I'm out of the picture completely, he'll dump you, too."

"Just because you're a cop, Morelli," Ranger said, "doesn't mean you can't walk out of this apartment and go missing five minutes later. The only person standing in the way of my beating you bloody right now is Stephanie. For some reason, she thinks you're someone worth caring about. I personally don't see it, but the fact that she does is enough for me. _For now_. Just know that if you say any of that shit again, to her or to anyone else, even Stephanie won't be able to save you."

"Ranger, let him say what he wants," I said, laying a hand on his forearm to try to diffuse his anger.

This is exactly what I'd been afraid would happen if I_ had _made a decision long ago. Not only did I worry about Ranger being cut out of my life, I was concerned that Joe's pride might get the better of him and make him decide to go after Ranger, creating problems for him and the guys. Joe couldn't physically take down Ranger, but he could use me to push Ranger beyond his usual control. And I couldn't let him.

"Joe, believe what you need to," I told him, "but Ranger isn't the cause of our breakup. I was going to talk to you tomorrow about why I couldn't accept your proposal. And one of the things I was planning on saying is that I hope you find someone who can be the wife you obviously want. The woman I can't be. But after what you've said here tonight, I'll just tell you that I've already been married to a Dick and I would never purposely marry another one. I didn't expect Ranger to show up and tell me that he wants to marry me, but the answer to_ your _question would have been the same even if I never saw Ranger again."

"I think you're just lying to yourself, but I guess it really doesn't matter now." After a solid thirty seconds of glaring at me, Joe finally broke eye contact and walked to my front door. "Have a nice life, Cupcake," Joe said. "I hope you know what you've done by fucking up ours. You two deserve each other."

And then Joe, and all the hostility he'd been shooting off, were gone.

I sighed after the door slammed shut behind him.

"Well ... I guess it's safe to assume that Joe hates me," I said to Ranger.

He wrapped his arms around me, gently pulling me to him. I pressed my face to the comforting wall of Ranger's chest and tried not to cry. I_ am _happy that this is finally over, and that Ranger and I are now free to make a life for ourselves, but the thought of Joe regretting _me_ is a hard thing to get over. I would do it, but still ... this isn't a nice feeling.

"Morelli hates_ me_, Steph," Ranger said against my hair. "He doesn't hate _you_. Even I'll admit that he does seem to care for you in some capacity. And I have no doubt that you letting him walk out of here is killing Joe right now."

"I didn't want to stop him, but I do feel awful," I said, my lips brushing the warm skin beneath them.

"You'll get over it," Ranger told me.

"Do you have a date and time?" I asked him, lifting my head and looking up into Ranger's dark eyes.

Ranger cupped the back of my head in his large hand and brought my face close to his.

"I have both, Stephanie. In five minutes you won't even remember Morelli's name, never mind what you should be feeling towards him."

I smiled. "What exactly _will_ I be feeling?" I asked Ranger, kissing the corner of his mouth.

"_Me_, Babe," he said, against my lips. "You'll only _feel me_."

When Ranger's mouth completely covered mine, I didn't doubt him at all.


End file.
